A Most Troublesome Double Date
by Laura x Tennant
Summary: The evening was effectively in ruins and for once, it wasn't even the Doctor's fault. On the contrary, he charitably and lovingly tried to salvage the situation.
1. Chapter 1

_**A Most Troublesome Double Date**_

_**::**_

"Please, Rose?" Jackie asked, grabbing her daughter's arm.

The Doctor shook his head vehemently and grabbed Rose's other arm. "Don't you dare," he begged in a low voice.

"I just want you to get to know him!" Jackie complained, glaring at the Doctor.

"Fine! But you don't have to drag me into it!" he retorted loudly.

Rose winced, her gaze flicking between her mother and her friend.

"But it'll be weird if it's just the three of us!" Jackie replied. "Rose might feel left out!"

"Nah, Rose won't mind, will you Rose? Rose?"

Rose bit her lower lip thoughtfully as she contemplated her answer.

The Doctor panicked. "Rose, I'll do anything else. _Anything. _Whatever you want."

"Anything?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Yes," he confirmed hopefully, wondering whether he was being persuasive enough. "We can go anywhere in the universe. Do anything you want. Your choice. For a whole week."

"Oi! Don't listen to him, Rose. As if he could actually keep to a promise like that anyway!"

"A month," he tried. "A whole month. We could take an extended holiday!"

"Hmm…" Rose murmured.

He squeezed her arm a bit tighter, his eyes wide and pleading. "I will make you breakfast in bed _every single day. _And – and I'll do the laundry! And…" he trailed off, grappling for more ideas. "And I'll make your bed! And cook dinner. And give you a back massage - "

At that last one Jackie whacked him on the shoulder with her free hand. "None of that!"

"Ow! What?" he cried innocently. "What's wrong with that?"

Rose rolled her eyes. "Listen. Mum, I love you and everything, but I really don't think the Doctor should come to this dinner thing."

The Doctor grinned triumphantly. Jackie glared at him again. He stuck out his tongue childishly.

"I mean, seriously? Do you think he'd behave? Do you really even trust him to be able to get through a double date without embarrassing us?" Rose continued slyly.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, letting go of her arm to fold his own against his chest in a huff.

"You might be right, Rose," Jackie picked up on her plan. "He probably doesn't even know which hands to use his knife and fork in…"

"I most certainly do!" he corrected her haughtily. "I have been around for nine centuries, you know, travelling time and space and saving the universe; I think I can deal with a harmless little dinner at a London restaurant!"

Rose smiled. "Really? Aww, that's great, Doctor – thank you!"

Jackie grinned too. "I knew you'd come 'round! Thanks! So I'll see you two at seven, then?"

"Wait, what just happened?" he asked in bewilderment, his arms flopping to his sides.

"You just agreed to have dinner with me, Mum and her date."

"No I didn't!"

"Yes you did," Jackie replied, feigning confusion.

"You said: 'I think I can deal with a harmless little dinner.'"

"That doesn't mean I _will! _I could do a lot of things; doesn't mean I'm planning to! Could take up the ukulele! But I won't!"

Rose looked up at him with that expression she always used to get him to change his mind about something. The one with the smile and the eyes and the eye_lashes _and blimey, what was he letting himself in for?

"Fine!" he sighed heavily. "Fine. But you know what, this is the last time I do something like this for you. Next time, I won't fall for it! And I won't fall for that expression on your face either."

"Little too late for that, eh Doctor?" Jackie murmured knowingly, patting him on the shoulder as she left the living room.

His mouth dropped open and Rose giggled.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Part 2**_

_**::**_

"You gonna get changed?" Rose asked the Doctor casually, from behind her bathroom door.

The Doctor was seated on the floor outside, waiting for her to get ready. "I've changed my tie!" he replied indignantly. He heard Rose giggle, and smiled. "That's all right, yeah?"

"Yeah, course it is," she answered. "I'm not fussy."

He arched an eyebrow at that comment, but said, "What are _you _wearing, anyway? What's taking you so long?"

"Oi," she retorted firmly. "I've barely been in here half hour. Anyway, I'm nearly done."

She opened the door and stepped out of her bathroom, nearly tripping over the Doctor. He stared up at her with boggled eyes. "You're not even dressed yet!" he squeaked.

She was still wearing her dressing gown, but her hair and make-up were all done. "It'll take two seconds, Doctor," she replied, rolling her eyes.

He scrambled to his feet as he watched her wander over to her wardrobe and pull out a black dress. "Is that the one you wore on New Year's Eve?" he asked, swallowing hard.

She turned her head slightly. "Mmm. Why? Don't you like it?"

His eyes widened again. "Oh I didn't mean it like that. I was just, uh. Curious. But yes. It's – you should wear it. It's nice. Lovely."

He could tell she was trying not to grin at him in amusement at his babbling. "Yeah?" she asked mischievously.

"Yes."

"Okay then. Out you go."

"Hmm?"

"Step outside for a sec so that I can get into it."

"Oh, right, yes, okay." He hurriedly exited her bedroom.

::

When Rose was finally in her dress - and when the Doctor had finished stumbling around trying to pretend he wasn't admiring her, in that dress, a rather significant amount - they left for the restaurant. It would only take them thirty minutes to walk it, and they didn't fancy sharing a taxi with Jackie and her new boyfriend Rob.

"You are getting quite good at this," he remarked thoughtfully, noticing Rose's brisk pace.

"Hmm? Good at what?"

"Walking quickly in heels."

"Yeah, well, exactly how many parties and balls have we been to that have inadvertently led to me needing to run for my life in them?"

"Good point," he chuckled, and reached for her hand. He thought it a testament to his restraint that he hadn't reached for it the moment they had exited the TARDIS. A whole two minutes seemed long enough to appear nonchalant about it.

Rose gladly entwined her fingers with his, and swung their joined hands between them playfully as they walked. "I wonder what he's like."

"We'll soon see."

"I hope he's nice."

"I'm sure your mother wouldn't be dating him if he wasn't."

She sent him a wry look.

"What?" he asked.

"Some of her boyfriends have been _horrible."_

"Oh. Well. I'm sorry to hear that."

Rose heaved a sigh. "I feel bad for her. She never seems to find someone decent and good."

"What happened to Howard, by the way?"

She wrinkled her nose up. "Mum said that he was a bit…"

"What?"

She coughed awkwardly. "Let's just say, they weren't very, um, compatible in terms of their…"

"Their what?"

Rose rolled her eyes. "Like, you know...the things they wanted to, um, do...their fantasies or whatever."

"Fantasies?" he said questioningly. She stared at him unblinkingly and it finally dawned on him. "Oh. _Ohh. _Oh, really, Rose, I didn't need to know that!" He winced.

"You asked."

He gave a shudder and changed the subject. "Anyway! We can suss the new bloke out tonight and see if he's right for her." He nodded definitively.

Rose couldn't quite hide her grin. "Look at you, caring about my mum."

"Of course I - " he began, then shrugged it off quickly. "I mean, well. We need to keep her occupied, don't we? Might distract her from the fact that we sneak away for months pretending it's only been days since we last visited."

"You can't fool me," she sighed happily. "You even complimented her the other day. And don't deny it, 'cos I heard you."

"Weelll, her chocolate cake genuinely _was _the best chocolate cake I've had in a while. Probably because the last chocolate cake I had was an absolute monstrosity," he teased, referring to the one Rose had baked a few weeks ago, on an experimental whim.

"Oi! It was my first go. And I make nice cookies, so don't you forget that."

"Cookies are one thing, but I don't believe you are quite up to the baking standards of your mother in the cake department. Not yet, anyway."

"Well I don't have time to practise, do I?" she said defensively.

"Don't worry, Rose. I value saving-the-world abilities much more than I value cake-baking skills. However, if you were to master both…well, then we might have to have discussions about how you are the best person in the universe."

She laughed and bumped her shoulder against his. "So what you're saying is, it'd be the icing on the already rather delicious cake if I could, er, bake?"

He arched an eyebrow. "I don't believe that I said you were delicious."

She arched one right back. "I don't believe that you've had the experience to say I'm not." His eyes widened, and so did hers, and then she blushed quite red. "That came out wrong."

"Did it? How would it come out right?" he asked, with a nervous laugh.

She bit her lip, stifling a giggle. "I don't know."

He cleared his throat. "Don't worry. I also value your ability to accidentally flirt with the highest esteem."

"I wasn't flirting."

"That's why I said it was accidental."

"I don't _accidentally _flirt – how is that even possible?"

"You accused me of doing that months back!"

"Yeah, but you're you: you can be quite oblivious. Me, I'm far more...aware."

"I don't believe you are."

"Well I don't believe _you _are."

"I assure you, Rose, I know what I am doing."

"So you intentionally try to seduce people across time and space?" she asked innocently.

"What?" he squeaked.

"It's just that you can turn on the charm quite unconsciously, Doctor."

"How? When?" he retorted, baffled.

"How about when you accidentally flirted your way into that V.I.P area of that bar the other day?"

"I was just being _nice."_

"You told that barmaid that she had the quickest hands you'd ever seen."

"Yeah, because she made our cocktails so quickly," he explained, his face contorted in confusion.

"And you don't see how she might've interpreted that?"

"Nooo," he replied slowly. In all honesty, with hindsight, he was starting to pick up on that now. And he was also starting to pick up on something else. "Hold on. Rose. Are you…"

"Am I what?"

"Are you _jealous?"_

"What?"

"Are you jealous?"

"Jealous? Why would I be jealous?"

"I don't know but you're kind of acting it right now."

"I am not," she retorted defensively, crossing her arms. "And pot calling kettle black, I may add!"

"What? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, _somebody _didn't seem too happy when I got the information out of that duke last Friday."

"Only because we'd agreed that we'd interrogate him together," he sniffed.

"He wanted to dance; it was the perfect opportunity to get him to open up a little."

"Pfft, like there wasn't something else he wanted to be open about," he muttered.

"Ha! See! There, right there! If that comment doesn't stem from jealousy, I don't know what does," she grinned triumphantly.

"I've no reason to be jealous," he insisted.

"Well neither have I."

"Fine."

"Good."

After a few moments of tense silence, the Doctor asked, "How much further is it to this restaurant, anyway?"

"We're nearly there."

"Thank goodness for that."

Both of them tried to hide their identical smiles from each other.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Part 3**_

_**::**_

As the Doctor glanced around himself, he thought back to a time when he absolutely would _not_ have allowed a companion to trick him into doing something so utterly, domestically _human._

Jackie and her new boyfriend were seated opposite himself and Rose at a table in a fairly nice restaurant half hour away from the Powell Estate. They'd just ordered their food, and the Doctor's leg started jiggling restlessly.

It wasn't that he didn't like restaurants. On the contrary, he'd taken Rose to the best restaurants the universe had to offer, although he was pretty certain that she was just as pleased when he took her to a chip shop.

It wasn't even that they were out with Rose's mum. Of course, he tried to get out of it more often than not, but the three of them had been on days out together in London when he and Rose came to visit, and he was a frequent part of the ensemble nowadays when it came to Jackie's shepherd's pie nights.

Really, it was the fact that there were four of them out tonight. Upon meeting Robert, the new bloke, the Doctor had taken an instant dislike to him. He wasn't sure why; he rarely judged someone so harshly so quickly. He'd been so surprised at his vehement disapproval of the man that he'd subtly scanned him with his sonic; but there was nothing out of the ordinary about him. Just a normal human bloke. And he knew he and Rose ought to make an effort to like Robert, seeing as Jackie seemed to.

Anyway…the four of them, sitting here, about to have dinner…

It sort of screamed _family. _To anyone on another table, if they happened to look over, they would probably see the family resemblance between Jackie and Rose and thus assume that this was Mum, Dad (or Step-Dad), Daughter and Daughter's Significant Other, all out for a family meal.

Perhaps strangers would think they were married. Well, more likely, they'd think he was her boyfriend, as she was probably a bit young for people to assume she had a husband. Not that there was anything wrong with marrying young – her mum had, after all. But Rose just wasn't up for that sort of thing. Or at least that was what she had casually told him once. He remembered the conversation vividly; how she had stated, quite clearly, that she'd rather travel with him for the rest of her life than get stuck with a no-good husband, 'or any husband at all, actually.' That conversation had made him very, very happy, but of course he had acted as nonchalant as she had in his response: 'well that's fine with me.' Blimey was it fine with him. He just hoped she stuck to it.

Anyway, the Doctor decided that he'd just have to honourably fight for her, if it came to it, and took a sip of his wine as he briefly pondered the merits of being regarded as Rose's Significant Other by an unknowing observer.

_One: We probably look like we make a good couple. After all, we are both very attractive, and we obviously enjoy one another's company if the amount we laugh is anything to go by._

He smiled to himself at that thought.

_Two: If the unknowing observer is a bit pretty, then he'll probably concede defeat and not look at Rose in ways pretty boys tend to look at Rose. Which would warm my bitterly jealous hearts._

_Three: I'll admit that it is a bit nice, to be thought of as one half of a couple, especially when the other half is Rose Marion Tyler._

"What are you grinning about?" Rose asked, penetrating his musings.

"Hmm? Oh, nothing. Just thinking."

"About…?"

"About the benefits of people-watching. It's fun, isn't it?"

"What?" Rose laughed.

He looked hurt. "It's our game, Rose. How can you forget our people-watching game?"

"No, I remember the game - " she said, rolling her eyes. It was what they did, when sitting in posh restaurants. They covertly looked around them and made up backstories for random strangers. It was oddly fun, and very amusing. "- I was just wondering what you had to say."

"Hmm?"

"Well, who've you made a backstory for?"

"Well, I was starting to make one for us, actually."

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"I was thinking what people would think of _us, _if _they _were playing the game."

"Oh. Right."

"What are you two gossiping about?" asked Jackie, pausing her conversation with Rob when it became clear that Rose and the Doctor weren't listening.

"Quantum mechanics," answered the Doctor cheerfully.

Rob raised his eyebrows. Jackie snorted and said, "Well stop. I was asking you a question and you both ignored me!"

"Sorry, Mum," Rose smiled apologetically. She nudged the Doctor with her elbow until he looked appropriately contrite too. "What were you saying?"

"I was saying that it's been a while since I've been on holiday," Jackie replied.

The Doctor's eyes widened. "Please do not suggest that the four of us go away together," he muttered in horror.

"Oi! As if I'd wanna go on holiday with you anyway," Jackie huffed. "No, I was just wondering if you had any suggestions. Somewhere pretty and sunny and not too expensive."

"Hmm…well, you don't really have to worry about the expense, Jackie, not if we dropped you off somewhere."

Rose glared at him and whispered so that only he could hear, "Rob doesn't know about the TARDIS."

"How would you do that, then? Are you a pilot?" asked Rob.

"I'm not going anywhere in that thing," said Jackie.

"Do you have your own plane? A private jet?" persisted Rob, sounding very excited.

"I – uh – no," the Doctor said, floundering. "It's more a sort of…um…" He glanced at Rose helplessly.

"Camper van," nodded Rose, pleased with her own improvisation.

His eyes boggled out of his head. "What?" he exclaimed. "How dare you refer to my beautiful time and spaceship as a camper van!"

Rose sighed heavily. "You doughnut," she mumbled.

"Time and spaceship?" retorted Rob. "What are you on, mate?"

The Doctor sniffed haughtily but felt embarrassed by his outburst. He watched Jackie put her head in her hands and felt he ought to sort out his own mess. "I was, uh…" He cleared his throat and finished, "I was speaking metaphorically."

"Well it's quite a strange boyfriend you've got yourself here, Rose," Rob said, evidently amused.

The Doctor levelled a glare at the other man, very offended. Then Rose slid her hand beneath the table and squeezed his knee. His expression changed immediately.

"Oh we're not together like that," Rose corrected Rob casually. "We just travel together."

"Oh. Right." He looked confused.

Once Jackie and her new bloke had resumed chatting about possible holiday destinations, the Doctor seized the opportunity to question Rose on the continued placement of her hand. He bent his head and whispered in her ear, "Rose?"

"Mmm?" she replied, taking a sip of her wine.

"You gonna leave your hand there all night?" he smirked.

She flushed but carefully placed her wine glass back on the table before replying, "Actually, Doctor, I think I might." She paused, enjoying the way his eyes widened slightly. "It seems to be the only way to get you to behave…"

He threw her a cheeky grin. "Not the only way - "

"Doctor."

"He was being rude about me right to my face," he complained. "He called me strange, Rose."

"You _are _a bit strange," she replied.

He gave her a betrayed look. "Oh."

"It's a good thing, don't worry - "

"What are you two whispering about _now_?" inquired Jackie.

"Nothing," Rose shrugged.

"Nothing!" echoed the Doctor guiltily. "Absolutely nothing!"


	4. Chapter 4

_**Part 4**_

_**::**_

The starters were eaten amidst amicable conversation. It was when they were halfway through the main course that things were turned upside down.

Rose had just been explaining to Rob the reason for her not currently working, leaving out the fact that it was the Doctor who blew her job up and also the fact that aliens were involved.

"But that was a few years ago, now. You ought to think about getting steady employment again, don't you reckon?" Rob commented casually, before crunching on a piece of garlic bread.

"But we're travelling," the Doctor retorted, whilst Rose shifted uncomfortably.

"Rose does all sorts of charity work on their travels, don't you Rose?" said Jackie supportively, and it wasn't technically a lie considering the amount of lives her daughter had saved.

Rose shrugged. "I s'pose," she said, at the same time as the Doctor grinned, "She certainly does."

Rob reasoned, "But charity work isn't _work. _It's not bringing in the money. I'd've thought you were at the age now, Rose, where you'd start helping out your mum with the rent and stuff."

"Rose has been helping with that since she was sixteen and a half years old," bristled Jackie.

He shrugged. "Sorry, sorry. I'm just thinking of you, sweetheart. Seems to me that Rose gets all the fun gallivanting off around the world whereas you get left behind."

"I feel guilty enough about that as it is," Rose mumbled. "I don't need you lecturing me about it, Rob."

The Doctor glanced down at where her fingers were clutching her seat, her knuckles turning white with the effort. He covered Rose's hand with his, and squeezed it comfortingly. They glanced at each other and she gave him a small, grateful smile.

"You don't need to feel guilty," Jackie murmured. "You need to do what you want, what you love."

"Indeed," said the Doctor, feeling a little nervous that all this talk about Rose's out of the ordinary life would cause her more anxiety over leaving her mum on her own. He didn't want her to feel like that, and he definitely didn't want her sacrificing her own happiness because she felt some sort of duty to stay on the Powell Estate. "Rose is brilliant at what she does. I couldn't do without her," he continued.

Rob raised his eyebrows. "I bet you couldn't."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rose snapped suddenly.

"Nothing, nothing. Just that I wonder what sort of bloke gets lucky enough to travel the world when he doesn't even have a job, and not only that, but gets a young girl to follow him." He shook his head, apparently baffled. "Boggles the mind."

The Doctor seethed silently at the other man's words, but didn't retaliate. Rose however, said, "Why don't we talk about something else, eh? I'd rather we stopped hearing your opinion on mine and the Doctor's lifestyle."

"Fine," Rob acquiesced, unruffled.

"Thank you," Rose muttered.

Everyone was quiet, angrily chomping on their food.

"Anyway," said the Doctor, after the awkward silence had stretched on for an entire minute.

"Cousin Mo has finally met someone," Jackie piped up.

"Really?" Rose suddenly grinned. "Oh, that's brilliant!"

"Yeah, she knows him through work. They got chatting one morning over a tea break, and the rest, as they say, is history," Jackie told her.

"I thought that Cousin Mo was married?" interjected the Doctor, evidently confused. "When she was at your party, Jackie, she regaled me with many stories about the times her husband had nearly been arrested for practical jokes-gone-wrong."

"Yeah, she was married, and she still talks about him a lot," filled in Rose. "But he died – must be six or seven years ago, eh Mum?"

"Yeah, it was, yeah."

"Oh," the Doctor murmured. "I'm sorry. He sounded like a splendid bloke."

"That's okay, love, you didn't know," Jackie assured him. "And yeah, you would've liked him, he was always getting up to mischief."

"He went to the same school as me, actually," put in Rob. "He was like that as a kid, too. Great guy."

"It's been a while since she's even entertained the idea of meeting anyone," Rose explained further to the Doctor, before asking her mum, "How was she on their first date?"

"He took her to a funfair, as though they were teenagers again," laughed Jackie. "Mind you, she was a bit nervous, bless her. I don't think she really knew what to expect, after being on her own so long."

"Do you reckon she's happy, though?" Rose asked curiously.

"Oh yeah, definitely. She really started to enjoy it, you know, without feeling guilty, once she'd realised that it was time to move on and have some fun in her life again."

Rob laughed and said, insensitively, "I'm sure that's never been a problem for you, though, eh Jacks?"

Rose's breath hitched in shock. The Doctor instantly noticed the tears that gathered in Jackie's eyes, and frowned deeply. "Hey now," he said to Rob sternly. "I don't think that's an appropriate thing to say."

"What?" Rob asked, baffled. "I was just stating a fact, it's hardly a secret that Jacks has been through quite the parade of - " He broke off at the Doctor's thunderous expression.

Jackie's eyes widened and she cleared her throat. "It's all right, Doctor," she said quietly, and the Doctor's eyes softened.

Rob smiled in relief. "See? It's all good." He turned to Jackie with a grin. "Knew you were a woman who can have a laugh about herself."

"Excuse me?" Jackie retorted.

Rose flinched and the Doctor stood up. "Rob," he said coldly.

Rob dutifully met his gaze. "What?"

"I think you and I need to step outside for a moment."

Jackie and Rose stared at him in amazement.

"What?" Rob laughed.

"Come on. Outside, now," ordered the Doctor, sniffing purposefully.

"Don't be ridiculous! This isn't the bloody medieval times! We're eating dinner!"

"No, you're being rude to Jackie. So, outside. Now."

Frowning, Rob huffed and stood up, following the Doctor out of the restaurant. Rose turned to face her mother in surprise. "Wow."

Jackie swallowed hard. "Never thought I'd see the day when your Doctor would defend my honour," she joked sadly.

Rose smiled and reached across the table to hold her mum's hand. "You know that we're basically all he has, right? And that means we're his family. You and me, Mum. I know you two haven't always gotten along, but he cares about you."

Jackie blinked back tears. "He really thinks that? I thought he just brought you back to see me because you beg him to. Thought I just got in the way of what you two love doing."

"Oh, Mum," she replied, squeezing her hand. "I mean, course he pretends to hate the domestic side of things. But I've got no doubt in my mind that when he's inside the flat and got his feet propped up on your coffee table, dunking biscuits into his mug of tea whilst listening to you talk about the neighbours, he's secretly delighting in the fact that there's a place for him in the universe besides the TARDIS. I mean, the TARDIS, that'll always be home – for, for both of us, now – but to have somewhere with roots, somewhere he is wanted and looked after? That's so incredibly humbling for him. And he'll never say it to your face, or to mine for that matter; but I know he's grateful. I just know he is. 'Cos now and then, he'll do things like this, and I'll see it as clear as anything."

"You know what I see clear as anything, sweetheart?" Jackie asked with a watery smile.

"What's that?"

"How besotted he is with you."


	5. Chapter 5

_**Part 5**_

_**::**_

Rose's cheeks tinted pink of their own accord. "Don't know about that, Mum," she mumbled.

Jackie rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me you can be so perceptive about all what you just told me, and yet deny what's right in front of your eyes?" she demanded.

Rose shrugged, and Jackie continued, "Besides, I saw you two, holding hands under the table. I'm not daft. I know what that means."

"No, Mum, we aren't – what you're thinking," Rose hurried to assure her.

"I'm not disapproving, love. I'm glad you're happy together. So, _so _glad."

"No, but I mean it," Rose insisted. "We aren't – we haven't - "

Jackie raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Oh," she murmured, but before she could question her daughter further, the Doctor and Rob reappeared at the table. The latter looked suitably chastened.

"Hmm, I think Rob has something he'd like to say, Jackie," intoned the Doctor thoughtfully.

Rose hid her grin by resting her chin in her hand and covering her mouth. Jackie folded her arms, waiting patiently to hear Rob's apology.

"Jacks," Rob started, sounding dreadfully nervous. "I'm very sorry if I - "

The Doctor cleared his throat meaningfully.

Rob sighed and recommenced, "Jackie, I'm very sorry that I offended you. I shouldn't have said what I said. It was uncalled for, and I apologise."

There was a tense silence for a moment or two. Then, Jackie nodded amicably and replied, "That's all right."

Rob beamed.

"Don't expect another date though, mate," she added, with a disarming grin. "And don't _ever _call me 'Jacks' again."

The Doctor chuckled and reached for the bottle of wine, topping his and Rose's glasses up.

"Right," sighed Rob, looking awkward. "So, um. Shall I…?"

"Oh just go," Jackie said, rolling her eyes.

Rob nodded and grabbed his coat, not meeting the Doctor's gaze again as he fled the restaurant. Jackie's confident façade slipped a little as she downed the rest of her wine and gestured for the Doctor to top hers up too.

"You're awfully quiet," he murmured to Rose.

She shrugged. "Thought I'd let you sort this one out, considering what happened with the last guy who upset Mum." The Doctor smiled at her sadly, understanding at once.

Rose turned back to Jackie. "I'm sorry that went badly, Mum. I know you were hoping for a little romance, and what you got was another pig-headed bloke to make you miserable."

"I know, love," Jackie replied.

"You'll find someone worthy one day, Jackie," the Doctor said quietly. The two Tyler women looked at him in surprise. "What?" he asked self-consciously. "You will. I can feel it in my bones!" he teased.

"Why are you being like this?" Jackie asked, a lump in her throat.

"How do you mean?" he asked, uncomprehending.

"So…" She floundered for the right words, a tear sliding down her cheek as she blinked quickly.

Rose instantly got up, squeezing past the Doctor so that she could go to her Mum's side of the table and draw her into a hug. Jackie hugged her back gratefully, then pulled away and exhaled a slow breath, before continuing, "Whilst you were outside explaining to that bastard why he was a bastard, Rose told me that you consider yourself part of the family. Is that true?"

Rose groaned softly at the fact that her mother had implicated her in such a way. She didn't want him withdrawing in panic, like the astute observation that he_ hadn't_ been doing that recently might cause him to do.

The Doctor stared at Jackie, gobsmacked. "I…" His eyebrows drew together. "If I do – and that's, that's just an 'if,' you know, hypothetically speaking – if I do, is that all right? Because really, you've only got yourself to blame, Jackie Tyler, and - "

"Of course it's all right, you daft thing," Jackie laughed, brushing aside her tears. "God, you two are a right pair."

"Hmm?" he asked.

"You and Rose," she clarified. "Being dense and not seeing what's staring you in the face."

"Mum," she muttered warningly.

"Rose," Jackie countered, in the same tone of voice. The Doctor's lips twitched.

"No but seriously, Mum, don't."

"Don't what?" asked the Doctor, his eyes flicking between mother and daughter in confusion at their apparent secret.

"I will if you don't," Jackie retorted.

"That's not fair," Rose complained.

"It is fair. I want what's best for you."

"Then just _shut it, _will you?"

"Oi, don't tell me to shut it, young lady."

The Doctor, losing his patience, spoke over their continued argument to ask, "Can someone please let me in on what's going on, because I'm thoroughly perplexed at this mother-daughter fight happening right now - "

Rose sighed and met his gaze steadily. Before her mother could get the words out, she hastily blurted, "Mum thinks you're besotted with me."

The Doctor blinked slowly, once, twice. He swallowed hard, then murmured, "Ah."

Rose, still holding his gaze and feeling his knee brush hers accidentally beneath the table, developed a newfound confidence. "I happen to know that she's right, seeing as I'm not as daft as she thinks I am."

"Right," he exhaled roughly.

Jackie looked upon this exchange with wonder, her eyes opening wide and finding herself speechless.

"Also, I know that you know that the feeling is mutual," Rose added.

The Doctor's lips parted soundlessly. Then, shaking himself, he vocalised his thoughts, "Actually, I wasn't completely sure about that."

"No?" Rose asked in disbelief.

"Nope."

"Then _you're _definitely as daft as Mum thinks you are."

"Thanks," he scoffed.

"I mean could I have made it anymore obvious?" she asked dubiously.

Jackie finally found her voice. "I'm going to leave you two to it," she murmured. "Shift over, Rose."

Distractedly, Rose stood and let her mum slide out of the booth, before sitting back down again to watch, dumbstruck, as Jackie bent to give the Doctor a peck on the cheek.

"Thank you," she murmured to the equally shell-shocked Time Lord. She straightened and addressed them both. "You two come and say goodbye before you leave in that box of yours, yeah?"

They both nodded.

"Night then. Have a nice evening," she smiled, then exited the restaurant.

The Doctor and Rose stared at each other silently across the table.

Then, starting to giggle, Rose broke the awkward silence, "You do realise that was all probably a clever ploy of Mum's to get out of paying for this meal, yeah?"

"Oh, undoubtedly," the Doctor joked, joining her in laughter. He slid her wine glass to her across the table and then left his hand there, palm up. She smiled and placed her hand atop his, stroking his wrist tenderly. "So, Rose Tyler," he began, his voice quiet. "You and me, candlelit dinner that we're gonna have to pay for anyway: fancy pushing the boat out and sharing a chocolate gateau for dessert?"

"Mmm, good idea," she agreed, her eyes lighting up.

He gestured for the waiter to come over and ordered the dessert, then went back to staring at Rose.

"Say it," she murmured.

"Say what?"

"What you want to say. I can tell there's something you need to get off your chest. So say it."

He tugged at his ear with his free hand, signalling his discomfort.

Rose sighed. "Look, even if it's something you think I don't want to hear, just tell me. I can take it." When he remained silent, she insisted, "I know that acknowledging it – the, erm, the thing between us, I mean – I know saying it out loud like I did just now…I know it won't change anything. I'm not stupid; the reasons why we – why we _can't _are all still there, I get that. Don't think that just because I've finally broached the subject that I expect us to, I dunno, find the nearest bedroom or something. You Time Lord, me human; I understand."

"Oh," he murmured succinctly. "Right."


	6. Chapter 6

_**Part 6**_

_**::**_

"What does that mean?" she asked, brow furrowing at his response.

"I just thought that…well, that you'd…I mean…does it bother you, then?"

"Does what bother me?"

"The species difference – the _age _difference, as well, for that matter."

She frowned. "No, but I know that it bothers you."

"Only because of what's going to happen – what's inevitable."

"Which is what? That you'll outlive me?"

"Yes," he murmured, a lump in his throat. "Exactly."

"Right." Rose glanced at the tablecloth.

"You know that I'm going to be - " he cut off, his voice trembling slightly as he tried to reign in his emotion.

She looked back up at him, watching his expression closely. "What, Doctor?"

He let out a long breath. "You know that I'm going to be devastated either way, though, right?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," he clarified quietly, "I'm going to be heartbroken in the end whether we go on as we are or - "

"Or…?" Rose prompted, her heart in her throat.

"Or make things…complicated. _Real."_

"Re – real? As in…" She lifted her eyebrows suggestively. He nodded and her lips twitched. "You mean you think that maybe we _could _change things a little?"

"Rose…"

"Yeah?"

"May I join your side of the table for a moment?"

A beaming smile spread over her face. "Yes…"

He grinned back and stood, sliding into the seat next to her as she shifted over. Leaning in close and pressing his forehead against hers, he murmured, "I've wanted to kiss you for so long -"

"Oh blimey," she whispered, then giggled for a second. "I, er. I feel a bit unprepared for this," she admitted. "Never thought this would happen in real life."

"Real life?" he queried softly.

"Mmm," she affirmed, before teasing wickedly, "You know, as opposed to just in those wild fantasies of mine."

"Ah," he squeaked, "I see." Then, he closed the remaining distance between them and kissed her lips tenderly.

The kiss was so slow and tentative, and so very, very sensual. Rose felt a warmth slide through her, a heat that sharpened when he took her bottom lip gently between his teeth as he eased out of the kiss, before he dropped his lips to her jaw, her neck.

A small cough from the waiter interrupted them. They looked up, smiling sheepishly as he placed their dessert on the table.

"Thank you," Rose said to him, her voice slightly shaky.

"You're welcome," replied the waiter, before hurriedly backing away.

The Doctor picked up a spoon and tasted the dessert. "Mm, it's nice – not as good as the one we had on Jacputi, but it'll do."

He scooped some more of the dessert onto his spoon and held it to Rose's mouth. Giggling, she parted her lips and tasted what was a piece of chocolate heaven in Rose's book. "Mmmm," she moaned, delighted when the Doctor's eyes darkened. Chewing and swallowing her bite, she then told him, "_That _was delicious."

"Yeah?" he croaked out, a bit flustered.

"Yes."

He nodded absently and handed her the spoon. "I think you'd better…" he mumbled, worried the he'd make a spectacle of himself in a restaurant if he continued to feed her and stare into her eyes whilst she licked the chocolate sauce from her lips and – oh

He was staring at her anyway.

Her eyes twinkled knowingly. It was kind of marvellous. He slipped his hand beneath the table and rested it on her leg.

"You gonna leave that there?" she asked him quietly, echoing his words of earlier.

"Might do, yeah," he whispered back, stroking the tips of his fingers across her thigh. The silky material of her dress felt lovely, but what he really wanted was to feel her skin against his. Obviously, though, the silk would have to do; he was reasonably sure that Rose wouldn't take kindly to a spot of exhibitionism, and he didn't much think the rest of the restaurant would like it either.

She shivered at his touch and gave him a mischievous look. "This seriously happening?" she wondered.

"What's that?"

"You and me. Kissing and – and touching," she murmured breathlessly.

"Oh yes," he confirmed. His hand slid up to her hip, and he pulled himself a little closer. "You've no idea what you've done to me. What you _do _to me," he told her, his voice low.

"Why have you never said?" she asked curiously, and took another bite of their dessert.

"It frightens me," he whispered.

"Why?"

"Lots of reasons. Because you're too good for me, and I don't deserve you, but I want you anyway. Because you're so young, and I'm so old, but I want you anyway. Because I didn't know I could feel things like this, didn't think it would be this intense… but mostly because I don't know how to go about this, Rose. All I know is that I want you and I want you to want me. The other stuff, relationship stuff, I'm useless, I don't know – I don't know how to do it, but I want you to tell me that I can try, that you'll help me."

"You can and I will," she agreed with a smile. "And hopefully one day you won't be so scared anymore."

"Thank you, Rose," he murmured, sounding relieved.

"Did you really think I could turn you down?"

He shrugged. "I didn't know what to think. I didn't know if I should hope for it or not."

Rose leant in close. "I'll let you into a little secret."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I've always been hoping for it. Always. Since before you changed, even." She licked her lips unconsciously. "I've dreamt about it quite a lot, to be honest."

He exhaled roughly and squeezed her hip. "That makes me very…very…" He floundered for the right word.

"Happy?" she asked, bringing the spoon into her mouth for another bite of the chocolate gâteau.

"Aroused."

She choked slightly and took a gulp of her wine to swallow down her food properly.

He smiled sheepishly at her. "Sorry."

She cleared her throat and assured him, "No. Don't – don't be sorry. I, um. I just didn't expect you to say that." Then she started to laugh, and he quickly joined in. But his hand slipped back down to her leg, and his fingers stroked a sensitive spot on the back of her knee, and soon both of them stopped giggling and instead stared at each other in near-silence, breathing unevenly.

"You, um, you should really have some of this before I eat it all," she murmured absently.

"I'd rather kiss you again," he suggested hopefully.

"Oh, well, yeah, that's good too," she replied with a grin.

He leant in and captured her lips in a soft, slow kiss.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Part 7**_

_**::**_

As they left the restaurant a little while later, Rose sighed happily and looked up at the starry sky. "It's so rare that it's clear enough to see _any_ stars in London."

"Mmm. We've been within nearly all of those stars' proximity, you know," he murmured, pointing up at a cluster that seemed as though they were directly above them.

"When you say things like that," she whispered. "I get all tingly." His eyebrows shot up his forehead and she giggled before clarifying, "Not like that – I didn't mean…"

He smiled and nodded. "I know. You meant tingly in the sense of being filled with awe and wonder."

"Yeah," she breathed out roughly. "How'd you know?"

"Because that's how I feel when I look at the stars, still, even after all these years." He took a step forwards, holding her gaze steadily. "And when I look at you."

Rose bit her lip, trying to restrain her smile. She didn't want to keep beaming at him like a lovesick teenager. Mind you, he was staring at her like one right now, so maybe it wasn't so bad to let her emotions visibly manifest.

"I'm so grateful for what you've given me," she told him quietly.

"Likewise, Rose Tyler."

"No, but really. I mean, who else gets this? Who else is this damn lucky?" Rose asked, spreading her arms out and twirling around, head tilted to look up at the sky.

The Doctor chuckled, but his eyes were shining; wet with emotion. "Oh, Rose."

"I'm standing here, in the middle of the street in the middle of the night, staring up at stars that I've been hurtling around in a time and spaceship with the man I - " she caught herself and broke off, twirling around so that she wasn't facing him. Her breathing hastened and she hoped she hadn't freaked him out by what she'd nearly said. She knew how much he cared for her and wanted to be with her, and she reckoned he was just as in love with her as she was with him, but she couldn't be certain that acknowledging the extent of it wouldn't scare him and push him away.

But the Doctor, tonight, seemed in no mood to be pushed away. "Rose?" he queried gently, stepping forwards. When she didn't answer, he stepped even closer, and wound his arms around her waist. "The man you what, Rose?" he whispered into her ear, causing her to shiver pleasantly in his arms.

Rose's breath hitched and she closed her eyes, leaning her head back to rest on his shoulder. Her hands covered his at her waist. "You want me to say it?"

He pressed a lingering kiss to her temple. "If you want to. If you're ready." He paused, then continued near-silently, "If you mean it."

She slowly turned in his arms and met his gaze. After a few shaky breaths, she mustered up the courage to conclude, "The man I love."

He smiled, and kissed her again.

When they drew back, Rose whispered, "Do you feel the same?"

The Doctor nodded. "You know I do." He tilted his head forwards to press their foreheads together. "Have done from the start."

She grabbed him into another snog, this one even more passionate than the last. He quickly guided her backwards, out of the street and onto the pavement, and then, because he couldn't quite stop moving, he kept going until she was pressed against a wall. Her hands flew to his hair and she tugged his head back to kiss along his jaw, and when he pushed himself against her more firmly, she let out a quiet moan.

"God, I want you," she gasped aloud, and he took the opportunity to bend his head and suck at her neck. "Can we – oh god – I - "

His hands, which had formerly been resting quite conservatively on her waist, moved simultaneously - but in opposite directions. One slid upwards to cup her breast, the other moved to beneath her thigh, stroking softly before hooking her leg up around his hip. His mouth found its way back to hers and he deepened the kiss eagerly. Ten seconds later and he had to tear his lips away, for he suddenly, desperately, needed to tell her properly –

"I love you," he murmured, watching her dazed expression intently for her reaction. She didn't say anything, and he thought that perhaps she hadn't heard him clearly. "Rose. I love you."

Abruptly, she seized him by the lapels and kissed him again, and he groaned in surprise and desire as she ran her tongue across the roof of his mouth. His hips unconsciously thrust into hers, pressing intimately against her. "Doctor," she gasped into his mouth. "I want - "

"Not here," he murmured, trying to retain some semblance of control. He inhaled deeply and pushed himself away from her, dropping his hands to his sides. "Let's go home?"

She nodded wordlessly. And then she looked over his shoulder and stiffened in shock.

"What is it?" he asked gently, sensing a dramatic change in her demeanour.

"Shh," she hissed, and tugged him closer to her again. "Don't let him see me."

"What? Who?" He tried to turn around but she grabbed him firmly and he tumbled into her, pushing her back against the wall.

"Please, just stay here, he probably won't notice us here 'cos of the shadows, and - "

It suddenly dawned on the Doctor. "It's Jimmy, isn't it?"

She swallowed hard and nodded. "I don't want him to see me. I don't want to talk to him." She peeked over his shoulder then whispered, "It looks like he's drunk, and he's got his mates with him. He was always worse when they were with him."

"Okay, we'll just stay here 'til he goes," he reassured her, stroking her arm. "I won't let him near you. I promise."

"It's not that he ever hurt me physically," she tried to explain. "It's just…"

"You trusted him and he ran off to Europe with your money and someone else," he finished for her. "I know. It's okay."

She nodded again. "He also said, before he left, that if ever he came back then he'd come back for me. And he didn't mean it in a romantic way."

The Doctor stiffened. "I could talk to him," he murmured, voice low. "If you want."

"No, Doctor," Rose said, squeezing his hand. "You don't need to. You'll only get angry and do something daft."

"Or maybe I can just let him know that you can't be threatened by him anymore because you killed the Dalek Emperor with a wave of your hand," he growled.

"Doctor. Stop it. He's not worth it." She paused a moment. "Besides, it looks like they're heading off."

"How old is he now, anyway?"

"He's a few years older than me."

"Bet he'd be scared if I told him how old I was."

"Bet he wouldn't believe a word of it," Rose scoffed. "Now stop it. He's going. Let's just - "

He cupped her cheek. "You are so beautiful," he told her suddenly.

Rose shook her head gently from side to side.

"What?" he asked. "You are."

"Never thought I'd hear you say that."

"I've said it before," he pointed out. "And I've always thought it."

"It's not the same," she smiled.

"We ought to make the most of each other," he whispered, stroking her cheek with his thumb. "Of the time we have together."

"Yeah," she breathed out roughly.

He dropped his hand to her arm, trailing his fingers down until they found hers and intertwined. "I've never said this before either, but Rose..."

"Yeah?"

"You make me so happy." He squeezed her hand. "So happy," he repeated, on a whisper.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Part 8**_

_**::**_

Rose beamed up at him, her worry over Jimmy Stones evaporating as she stared into the Doctor's eyes. "What are the chances, eh? Us, finding each other, amongst all these people," she gestured around them to encompass the households along this street, but more than that, the whole wide world and all the galaxies above them. "In the whole universe, so many people don't get to meet the one person who just - "

"Completes them," he finished softly.

"Yes," she whispered. "I think about it sometimes. What my life would've been like, if I hadn't met you. I think about all the alternate timelines there must be, all the parallel universes in existence, where choices were made differently, where whichever path my life took it wasn't to Henriks, or it wasn't to that night in the basement – if I hadn't needed to take that lottery money downstairs, for god's sake, a tiny thing like that, and I wouldn't've met you. Or if I'd stayed with Jimmy. Or if you'd found me too late. Or you – if you hadn't been there to save us, or if you'd met someone else, or…" she trailed off, noting his troubled expression. "What is it? Do you think I'm daft, for thinking about all that?"

When he spoke, his voice was rough. "No, I don't think you're daft. I think you're the most beautiful creature I've ever met, and I'm so very, very glad that I have you in my life." He wrapped her up in his arms again and she blushed. "What you just said was – it was so true and lovely and frightening, and if there are timelines and universes where you are not by my side then I don't think life would hold much appeal to me."

"Doctor…"

"I think about it too, Rose. I think about that night, and every night since. I think about the fact that time is in flux and that one tiny thing, like you said, could've just ruined any chance I had at finding happiness again. Because that's what you were, Rose. You were my chance. I don't know what would've happened to me if I hadn't met you, but I very much doubt I'd've lasted very long. You took someone broken and full of despair and you made him better. And then you shaped the man I am today. A man created out of so much _love,_and I - " he broke off, swallowing hard. "I don't want to lose you."

Rose placed her hand at the back of his neck and drew him down for another kiss, pressing against him as close as possible. She felt spots of rain start to fall but paid it no further attention, concentrating instead on the feel of his tongue against hers, and the way he was wrapping his coat around her, cocooning her in to save her getting soaked and cold in the changing weather.

It wasn't long before the rain started to come down harder. The Doctor laughed against Rose's mouth, and they both shivered. "We should go home," he whispered.

"We should dance," she countered.

So they did, for a few minutes, to no music. And he couldn't stop smiling. Dancing, in the rain, with Rose Tyler. Not a bad life.

When it became apparent that they would soon meet hypothermia if they didn't get warm and dry, though, they headed back to the TARDIS hand in hand.

::

Inside the console room, Rose shivered in her soaking wet dress, but before the Doctor had a chance to suggest they remove their wet clothing, she tentatively said, "Thank you so much, for what you did earlier – for Mum. She couldn't believe it, she…she didn't realise that you cared enough to stand up for her like that."

He shrugged nonchalantly. "She's the closest thing I've had to family in a long, long _long _time. Besides, recognising what a horrible twit Rob was being and telling him off? I learnt that from you - I've you to thank for growing a little more perceptive to these things. Although, obviously, sometimes I'm still rude and not-ginger myself, so I still need you to point that out for me. Well, I'm _always _not-ginger, which is tragic, but hopefully I'm less rude now, right? I mean, if I can notice it in others then surely I'm getting a little better - "

Rose hushed him by placing her finger over his lips. "I love you."

He smiled shakily, and whispered, "I love you too."

Her hand fell to his tie and she tugged on it mischievously. Beaming, she asked, "Do you reckon we can get out of these rain-soaked clothes?"

"That sounds like a brilliant idea," he chuckled. His fingers danced up her arm to trace her collar bone, following a drop of water that was making its way into the dip there. "In fact, it's probably one of your best."

"Oh, in the top ten, at least," she agreed, tongue-between-teeth in that smile of hers that made mountains sway in the breeze.

"I have a very important question to ask you," he said next.

"Oh yeah? What's that, then?"

"Rose Tyler," he began, and paused dramatically. "Would you like to share a shower with me?"

"That sounds fantastic," she grinned.

_the end._

* * *

a/n: some bonus scenes might be coming, as a number of people wanted to see the conversation between the Doctor and Rob outside the restaurant. So stay tuned :)


	9. Chapter 9

**Bonus chapter, because a couple of people requested it: the Doctor and Rob's conversation outside the restaurant. **

Apparently bewildered but not alarmed by the turn of events, an unimpressed Rob followed the Time Lord out of the restaurant.

"Now you listen to me very, very carefully," said the Doctor, his voice low, words fuelled by barely suppressed anger. "In a minute, you will go back inside and you will apologise to Jackie, and then you will never, _ever, _say a word to upset her again, do you understand me?"

Rob scoffed back, "I dunno who you think you are - "

"I'm someone you should be very wary of crossing, that's who I am."

Rob rolled his eyes. "You're some hipster loser who has ensnared a pretty, naïve young girl to traipse about the globe after you like some sort of sad groupie, that's who you are," he spat.

The Doctor took a few calming breaths so that he wouldn't grab the other man by the throat. "I'm warning you. If you say one more disparaging word about Rose or her mother, you will be very sorry that you came here this evening."

"For god's sake, I could break you in two," sniffed Rob.

The Doctor arched an eyebrow. "Do you even realise why I'm so angry with you?"

"No, to be honest, I don't. It was just a joke. I never intended - "

"It doesn't matter what you _intended. _You hurt Jackie's feelings."

"And why do you care so much? Rate you're going, I might well think it's Jackie you're interested in, not Rose."

The Doctor blanched. The very thought made him feel physically sick. She was practically his mother-in-law, for Rassilon's sake. Or, well, she would have been, if Rose and he were actually together. "I can assure you, Robert," he said darkly. "I care about Jackie Tyler very much, but that's because she's Rose's mum. And what hurts her mum, hurts Rose. And what hurts Rose, hurts me. So if _you _hurt Jackie, even just one more time - "

"What? What will you do?"

"I'd like to chuck you into the nearest supernova, but Rose probably wouldn't let me do something that drastic," he muttered under his breath.

"Look, I appreciate that you're trying to get in Jackie's good books, but you really didn't need to drag me out here to prove yourself or whatever."

"That's not why I did this." The Doctor looked baffled.

"Oh, come off it. You want her approval. About you and Rose. Any fool can see that."

"I'm not sure that I know what you're - "

"Jackie reckons you'll marry Rose within a year," he said smugly.

The Doctor's eyes widened in alarm. "She said that?"

Rob hesitated. "Yeah."

The Doctor sighed in relief when realised Rob was lying; it was obvious he was bluffing just to try and wind him up. "No, she didn't," he said, with confidence. "She doesn't even know that I - " he cut himself off abruptly.

"Know that you what?"

He swallowed thickly. "Um."

"Because I can assure you that no matter how much Rose denied it back in there, she definitely _does _know that you're bonking her daughter."

"I'm not," he murmured. "And don't say it like _that."_

"You can barely keep your eyes off her," Rob pointed out.

"Doesn't mean we – 'bonk,' as you so romantically put it." He belatedly realised he'd basically confessed to fancying her to distraction, but there was nothing to be done for that now. He cleared his throat. "Anyway! This wasn't about me and Rose. This was about you, making cheap shots about Jackie Tyler's relationships. Do you realise how hard it has been for her, all these years? Bringing Rose up on her own, after Pete died when she was just a baby? Do you realise how strong she's had to be, how utterly brilliant and capable so as to not fall into the trap of depending on an undeserving man like you, even at her most vulnerable? Do you realise that Rose's compassion and love and desire to help everyone who needs it stems from the frankly excellent way Jackie brought her up, in spite of having little to no money, in spite of the heartbreak of losing her husband so young, in spite of men like you making her feel loved one minute and degraded the next? Do you? Answer me."

Rob shook his head slowly. "I'm sorry. I am, I didn't mean…"

"Right. Well. You'd better tell that to her."

The two men stared at each other for a few moments. Then, cautiously, Rob mumbled, "All right, I'll apologise."

The Doctor let out a long breath. "Thank you."

"One thing though," Rob said next, as they turned to go back inside.

"Yes?"

"Jackie told me that you didn't like her. Why the change of tune, eh?"

The Doctor frowned. "Why on earth does she think that I don't like her? I mean, we argue a lot, but that's to be expected. And I assumed that she enjoyed arguing with me."

"Well," Rob shrugged. "She reckons she's standing in the way of you and Rose and that you resent her for it. And vice versa."

"She brought Rose into the world. I owe her…everything."

Rob raised his eyebrows and let out a low whistle.

"What?" demanded the Doctor.

"You really have got it bad for her daughter, haven't you?"

"Shut up," he huffed, and then they made their way through the restaurant to return to their table.


End file.
